How Do You Spell AMMONITIDAE?

1. Ammonitidae is a noun that refers to a family of extinct marine cephalopods that lived during the time of the dinosaurs, particularly from the Devonian to the Cretaceous periods. They belong to the broader class of ammonoids, which were ancient relatives of modern-day nautilus, squid, and octopuses.

   Members of the Ammonitidae family were characterized by their coiled shells, which typically had intricate patterns and ridges. These shells served as a protective home for the cephalopod, with the animal living in the largest chamber. As the cephalopod grew, it continued to add new, larger chambers to the shell, coiling it in a spiral shape. The shell of an ammonitidae fossil is often one of the main ways scientists identify and classify these extinct animals.

   Ammonitidae was a diverse family, with numerous species varying in size, shell form, and ornamentation. They occupied various ecological niches throughout their evolutionary history, living in oceans across the globe. Due to their wide distribution and abundance in the fossil record, ammonitidae fossils have become essential tools for paleontologists, aiding in dating rocks and reconstructing ancient marine ecosystems.

   Despite their extinction around 66 million years ago along with many other marine and terrestrial organisms during the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction event, the fascinating remains of ammonitidae continue to captivate researchers and amateur fossil enthusiasts alike, shedding light on the incredible diversity and evolution of life on Earth.

2. The family of fossil shells of which the ammonite is the type.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for AMMONITIDAE

The word "Ammonitidae" is derived from the combination of two elements: "Ammonit-" and "-idae".

1. Ammonit-: The term "Ammonit-" refers to the extinct marine cephalopod mollusks known as ammonites. Ammonites were spiral-shaped creatures that lived during the Mesozoic Era (approx. 200-65 million years ago). They built chambered shells which often displayed intricate patterns that are now highly prized by collectors. The name "ammonites" was given to these fossils because their shells resembled the coiled horns of the Egyptian god Amun, depicted as a man wearing a ram's horned crown.

2. -idae: The suffix "-idae" is derived from the Greek word "eidos", meaning "form" or "resemblance". In taxonomy, the "-idae" suffix is used to denote a family.